Postage stamp affixing machine



June 1951 J. J. WHINTON ET AL 2,555,523

POSTAGE STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l a; f 5 a W W June .5, 1951 J. J. WHINTON ET AL POSTAGE STAMP 'AFF'IXING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 5, 1951 J. J. WHINTON ETAL ,523

POSTAGE STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 5, 1951 POSTAGE STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE John J. Whinton, Hamilton Beach, Ontario, and John Henry Morris, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Application July 2, 1948, Serial No. 36,588

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a machine for severing postage stamps from a roll and affixing them to envelopes or other mail matters, the device thus forming a stamp applying and affixing machine.

One important object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient hand operated machine of this class.

A second important object of this invention is to provide a machine for the purpose set forth especially adapted for use in offices having small and varying numbers of letters to be mailed from day to day or from one mail time to another.

A third important object of this invention is the provision of novel means for feeding stamps from a roll to a severing and applying device.

A fourth important object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved stamp severing and affixing device.

A fifth important object of this invention is to provide novel means whereby an exhausted roll of stamps may be readily replaced by a fresh one.

A sixth important object of the invention is to provide a novel means for moistening the corner of an envelope to which the stamp is to be applied.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Fig. l is a side elevation with the front side plate removed, the view being partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 i a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail plan view partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the stamp chute or guide.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in a second portion.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section on the line 9-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the means for cutting and applying the stamps.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line ll-H of Fig. 1.

In the invention a shown in the drawings there is disclosed a base it having at its rear portion upstanding side walls H projecting in parallelism from the side edges of the base. In the lower part of these side walls toward the rear thereof there are provided alined bearings I2 wherein is journalled a shaft it having a feeding roll Hi fixed thereon. The operation of this feed roller feeds the stamps and its circumference is such as to be a multiple of the width of the stamps to be fed thereby. The feed roller is actuated by a step-by-step movement, each step advancing one stamp past the roll. To effect this step-by-step movement there is fixed on the shaft l3 a face ratchet wheel l5 the spacing of the teeth of which is such that the advance of one tooth effects the advance of one stamp by the feed roll. Journalled on the shaft i3 i a pawl member l6 which is urged by a spring ll into engagement with the ratchet wheel 15. The face end of the pawl i6 is pivoted to an arcuate arm or lever l8 intermediate the ends of the latter as at [9. A tension spring 28 connect the forward end of the lever l8 with the pawl i6 intermediate the ends of the latter. The forward end of the lever 18 is provided with a manipulating button 2|. A spring check pawl 22 is fixed to a wall II and engages the ratchet Hi to prevent backward movement of the latter. Now considering Figs. 1 and 8, it will be seen that the normal position is that shown in Fig. 1 and the lever It is moved backwardly so that the pawl IE will revolve around the ratchet for the space of one tooth. Then if the lever I8 is moved forwardly the ratchet is turned to the extent of one tooth and the feed roll is rotated to advance one tamp.

In order to ensure proper feeding it is necessary that the stamp strip be pressed firmly against the feel roll and to that end the walls ll, above the shaft i3 are provided with slots 23 wherein are mounted vertically slidable bearings 24 supporting a shaft 25. On the shaft 25 is mounted an idler roll 25 which is urged toward the feed roll by a spring 21. The springs 21 are held beneath plates 28 secured to the side wallsby screw bolts 29 so that, by adjustment of the bolts, the tension of the springs may be regulated. At 30 i a casing wherethrough passes a removable shaft 3! for supporting a spool or roll 32 of stamps. This casing has a lipped opening 33 so that the strip of stamps may pass out of the opening, be fed around the idler roll and between the idler roll and the feed roll.

Provision is made to facilitatethe threading of the stamp strip between the feed and idler roll. To this end pivots 34 extend into the walls H rearwardly of the shaft 25 and on these pivots 34 'ver 45 pivoted at 49.

plunger upright.

are pivoted the arms 85 of a U-shaped lever hav-' ing an operating handle 36. The forward ends of the arms 35 lie under the ends of the shaft 25 so that depression of the handle 36 raises the shaft 25 and thus lifts the idler roll allowing space for free threading of the stamp strip.

In order to guide the stamp strip to the cutting and applying station from the rolls there is provided a stamp chute best seen in Fig. 7. This chute consists of a flat strip of metal 3'! having an opening 38 therein so that the rolls may engage the stamp strip through this opening. Curved in flanges 39 hold the stamp strip from moving sideways of the chute.

The stamp chute terminates forwardly at an opening formed in a stationary knife blade 4| which is secured transversely of the machine between the walls ll. balde which has one end pivoted at one end of the blade 41, the pivot consisting of a screw carrying a spring 43 which urges the blade '42 into close contact with the blade 0| thus providing proper shearing action on the stamp strip. In order to actuate the blade 42, which is normally held depressed at its free end by a spring 34, there is provided a longitudinally extending le- The forward end of the lever 45 extends beneath the blade 42. The rear end of the lever 45 is pivoted to the lower end of a plunger 41 the upper end of which engages beneath the arm 18. This plunger is provided near its upper end with a slot 48 and a pin 99 passes through this slot into a side wall thus holding the Extending laterally from the knife 42 adjacent the upper edge thereof is' a presser plate 50.

In order to place envelopes in proper position for applying stamps there is provided a, tubular guide having a lower table 51 and an upper table 52 hingedly connected at one edge as shown at 53 and held releasably in spaced relation at the other edge by a latch 54. The forward end of the lower table is cut away as at 55 to allow passage of the presser plate and also to allow passage of the upper end of an inclined endless belt 56 trained over shafts 51 extending across a water tank 58, the belt serving to wet the corner of any mail matter pushed through the guide.

What is claimed as new, is:

At 82 is a moveable knife 7,

In a stamp affixing machine, a frame including spaced side walls, stamp feeding mechanism com prising a shaft supported in said side walls, a feed roller on said shaft, a face ratchet on said shaft operable when actuated to rotate the feed roller, a pawl rotatable on said shaft and spring urged into contact with said ratchet, an operating arm pivoted intermediate its ends to the free end of the pawl, a biasing spring connecting the rear end of the operating arm to the pawl intermediate the ends of the latter, a guide chute leading from said feeding mechanism and terminating at a fixed knife slot, a vertically mov able combination cutting and applying member adjacent said fixed knife slot, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having one arm engaging said movable cutting and applying member, a plunger having its upper end engaged by the operating arm and its lower end pivoted to the remaining arm of said lever, an idler roller rest ing on said feed roller, and springs urging said idler roller against said feed roller, whereby 'a downward movement of said operating arm will perform the operation of cutting, moistem'ng and applying the stamp.

JOHN J. WHINTON. JOHN HENRY MORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7,389 Theaker May 21, 1850 449,544 King Mar. 31, 1891 558,141 Ayers Apr. 14, 1896 567,785 King et al Sept. 15, 1896 722,136 Olson Mar. 3, 1903 898,609 Simpson Sept. 15, 1908 1,004,150 Cummings Sept. 26, 1911 1,082,979 Taylor Dec. 30, 1913 1,555,975 Hubard Oct. 6, 1925 1,835,817 Skolnik Dec. 8, 1931 1,972,850 McCarthy Sept. 4, 1934 1,989,817 Mortimer Feb. 5, 1985 

